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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23558308">Sky's the limit</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/EuniWritesu/pseuds/EuniWritesu'>EuniWritesu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, F/M, Fluff, Lemon, Romance, Sex, Slow Burn</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-05-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-02 18:14:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,329</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23558308</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/EuniWritesu/pseuds/EuniWritesu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>In the suffocating confines of the Underground, they met. They've never left each other's side ever since. Together, they try to survive in this cruel world. Levi/OC</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Furlan Church/Levi/Original Character(s), Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Original Female Character(s), Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin)/Reader, Levi/OC, Levi/Original Titan Character(s) (Shingeki no Kyojin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Red-eye Samaritan</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>While on the brink of death, a girl who bore crimson eyes looked down on him. Her eyes carried no prejudice nor signs of any emotion. It only reflected him and for all he was worth—a lone wolf that was breathing it's last.</p>
<p>His consciousness slowly faded. But in the last few moments, he saw her lips move.</p>
<p>"Live on."</p>
<hr/>
<p>A sigh escaped her lips as she finally finished dressing his wounds.</p>
<p>He was one of the casualties of this never-ending spiral of pain and sadness that plagued these suffocating confines of the Underground. A travesty born from the greed and false idealisms of blue-blooded swines.</p>
<p>She recalled the look in his eyes before darkness swallowed his consciousness. Underneath those cold grey eyes was a burning desire for change—a desire to break free from the shackles that society enforced on him without any warrant. He had the potential to survive and make his way up above. He had the potential to become something more.</p>
<p>Like a moth attracted to flames, it lured her in. He was a stranger, a dangerous one at that. She might just be a helpless stranger, but she wanted to be part of something bigger. And anything worth having was worth taking risks for.</p>
<p>Hopefully, healing his wounds was at least a steppingstone on his grand journey to freedom.</p>
<hr/>
<p>He slowly opened his eyes. A low cracked ceiling welcomed him back to the world of the living. He was sure that he was knocking on death's door. "Red eyes," he muttered to himself as he recalled bits and pieces before his consciousness faded.</p>
<p>The crackling of fire diverted his attention. His eyes traced where the sound came from. He saw a girl with peculiar hair colour stirring an iron pot over a firepit. He wanted to get a better view and decided to prop himself up.</p>
<p>As the place was covered in rubble, his tiny movements alerted the girl.</p>
<p>"Ah, you're up," she calmly said while turning back to the pot. She continued to stir while giving him a word of advice, "You should avoid moving around. You're going to undo the stitches."</p>
<p>His right hand instinctively touched the side where he got stabbed. His fingers traced over the neat line of stitches over his wound. He quietly looked over her carefree demeanour before asking, "You're the one who did this?"</p>
<p>"Yes," she replied promptly.</p>
<p>She stared at him with those same red eyes as before—no hint of prejudice nor any emotion. "Why you say?" she muttered while picking up the bowl next to her. "Should I have a reason for helping someone who was dying in front of me?"</p>
<p>He scoffed at the question. "Yeah. Most people do."</p>
<p>She laughed at his response. Her eyes pondered back over the boiling pot of cream steam. "Hm. Maybe," she said to herself while scooping some of the stew and pouring it into a bowl. Afterwards, she walked over him with it on her hand.</p>
<p>"You see, I won't be able to sleep soundly if I let you die while knowing fully that I can help you. Unlike most people, <em>I</em> still have a conscience," she continued talking as she crouched down before him. "So why don't you just accept this random act of kindness, hm?"</p>
<p>He stared into her eyes once more before letting out a sigh. He wasn't used to this. Especially in this goddamned forsaken place. But experiencing kindness for once felt refreshing. "Fine..." he paused before continuing, "Thanks."</p>
<p>A smile rose from her lips. "Now that's out of the way... here," she said as she offered him the bowl. "Eat."</p>
<p>He looked at her and the contents inside the bowl before taking it.</p>
<p>Happy that he accepted her offer, she smiled. "I'm Canaria, by the way," she introduced herself before passing a spoon to him. "What about you?"</p>
<p>"Levi," he replied as he grabbed the spoon from her.</p>
<p>She grinned happily as she watched him eat. "Well, it's nice to meet you, Levi!"</p>
<p>His eyes couldn't leave her for a moment. White hair, red eyes, and a warm smile that would continue to linger in his head. She was an enigma. "What a strange girl," he muttered to himself as his lips curved into a soft smile.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Companion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Silence became their companion for the night. The flames from the pit illuminated the abandoned church and helped Levi observe the girl before him. His watchful gaze carefully dissected every piece of information out from her appearance and actions. Although she was wearing some tattered clothes, her poise, mannerisms, and a surprising amount of knowledge in medicine told him that her origin was not from the Underground. Perhaps a couple of weeks at most was when she probably started living down here.</p><p>"Is there something you want to talk about?" she asked with her cheeks flushed. Canaria felt self-conscious as his eyes were starting to bore holes in her back.</p><p>"You're not from here are you?" he said, not withholding his curiosity.</p><p>Her red eyes widened. She was caught off guard by his question. "Is it that obvious?" Canaria asked while rubbing her arm and avoiding his gaze.</p><p>"The Underground's a small place. It's easy to tell who is and isn't from here," he explained.</p><p>"I see," she replied while shifting her gaze over to a pile of debris under the collapsed ceiling. Canaria clenched her fist into a ball and bit the lower part of her lip. She looked bitter as she recalled a recent event that happened inside the very same place they were in. She softly said to him, "I came here two weeks ago."</p><p>"Alone?"</p><p>"No," she replied. Canaria shared without giving too many details, "I was with someone for a while. But now, that person's gone."</p><p>Levi could only assume what happened. Tragedy had always lured people to run away into the Underground. He didn't bother to press about the subject any further as he could easily tell she felt uncomfortable with the topic.</p><p>"What about you?" she asked, her eyes peering into his.</p><p>He averted away from her gaze. "The same as you," he replied without sharing much about his past.</p><p>Both sensed a strange kinship between them as silence and the flickering flames intertwined their sad untold history.</p><p>Cold as it was that night, they felt a strange warmth on their chest.</p><p>Canaria broke the silence with a bitter laugh. A weak smile rose from her lips as she told him, "Strange, isn't it? No matter how bad this place is, it still finds a way to connect people."</p><hr/><p>It had been a week since the night she found him. The days they spent together was slowly becoming a routine for the two of them. Canaria would occasionally leave Levi to his own while she went out to get more food and medicine.</p><p>She always checked on him and reminded him to not overexert himself from cleaning the church like an overbearing mother before leaving. He was annoyed over it at first but she grew on him. It was nice to have someone care about him even though she nags a lot.</p><p>Levi couldn't do much in the state he was so all he could do was either clean the never-ending pile of rubble in the crumbling church or observe her. He would always see her cover herself with a cloak before going outside. He wondered if it had anything to do with her strange features or if someone was after her. Either way, it was smart of her to do it.</p><p>Then, all of a sudden, it hit him. Levi sighed as he caught himself thinking about her once more.</p><p>He wasn't like this before. Was he getting attached to her? His eyes stared at the cracked ceiling while self-reflecting. The short conversations they've had, their interactions and her presence alone made him feel warm inside for the first time in a while.</p><p>For such a short amount of time, she made him realize that he needed and longed for someone to be there for him. All this time of being on his own, he didn't know that a part of him wasn't satisfied in being alone.</p><p>Levi knew that it wasn't going to be long before he recovered. He also knew that he didn't want whatever was going on to be over like a feverish dream.</p><p>The sound of the door creaking made him abandon his thoughts for now.</p><p>"I'm back! Sorry, I took a while," Canaria announced cheerfully while walking inside with a bag full of items on her hand and shutting the door behind her.</p><p>"Welcome back," Levi awkwardly said while sitting up.</p><p>She gave him a soft smile before walking towards him. "I bought us rice, some fruits, and vegetables. This should last us for a while," she giggled while carefully place the bag down and taking off her cloak.</p><p>Her eyes went to meet with his as she crouched down before him and pondered, "So... what have you been up to?"</p><p>"Nothing in particular." She didn't have to know that he was thinking about her.</p><p>Canaria hummed as her eyes trailed off to his upper body, checking to see if his bandages needed to be replaced. She scooted close to him. Her hands slowly caressed the places where his stitches were, looking to see if she was going to get a reaction from him.</p><p>Levi watched her quietly. He felt fine so he didn't pay attention to whatever she was doing to him as his mind focused on something else. With her face just a couple of inches away from him, he couldn't help but stare at her. After his self-reflection earlier, he became more aware of her. Her long lashes, her plump lips...</p><p>"Levi?" she called out to him.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"You're staring too much," she said, her cheeks blooming red.</p><p>His hand grabbed her wrist and told her, "You should be more careful around me." She was too careless around him. Levi pointed out, "Wounded or not, I'm still a man."</p><p>She stared at him, dumbfounded. What was he talking about? She was just doing her job—nursing her patient till he gets better. But the more she looked into his eyes, the more she became aware of their situation. Her ears started to turn red as she realized what he was insinuating. "I-I know... but still," she trailed off. Canaria slowly looked into his eyes and said, "I trust you, Levi."</p><p>His eyes widened in shock for a moment before returning to normal. "Tch. Stupid naive girl," he muttered before letting go of her wrist and avoiding her eyes. How could she trust him so easily? <em>Him</em>, of all people. If only she knew half of the things he did in order to live, she wouldn't be saying this to him.</p><p>She laughed. Canaria continued with her work silently as she took off his bandages to replace them with fresh ones. "Besides... a handsome guy like you probably have slept with better-looking women," she joked.</p><p>"Is that what you think?" he muttered. Levi chose to drop the subject as thinking with his lower half wasn't going to get him anywhere with her. It would be a better choice if he would just be honest with her.</p><p>"So, what's your plan?" Levi finally asked the question.</p><p>She looked at him again with a confused look on her face. "What do you mean?"</p><p>"I'm asking you if you have any plans on how to get out of this shitty place," he stated. "Do you even know how to survive here in the first place?" Levi added.</p><p>Canaria's eyes fell on the cold floor. "No."</p><p>Levi clicked the tip of his tongue. He should've known better.</p><p>"But I think I still have enough money to last for a bit. Until then, I'll think of something," she optimistically said.</p><p>"What if you run out of money and you still haven't figured it out? What then?" Levi pressed, getting slightly annoyed. He wanted her to think about the future.</p><p>"T-then I'll work and make more money!" she said as if she was trying to convince herself.</p><p>"Hah? Do you know what they do to women here in the Underground? They'll rape you, and then sell you to the highest bidder. You'll continue to spread your legs and be raped and assaulted till the moment you die," Levi spat out bitterly. She wasn't going to last in this place if she was this easy-going. He didn't want her to end up like his mother. To die in a place like this... he didn't want that.</p><p>She could only look at him in horror as she realized the gravity of her situation. Tears fell out of her eyes. Canaria clenched her hands into a fist till it turned white. She screamed in desperation, "Then what should I do, Levi?! I can't go back up there. If they catch me, they'll kill me. If I stay here, I'll die eventually. Tell me, what should I do?!"</p><p>He looked at her and the words escaped his lips unconsciously.</p><p>"Come with me."</p><p>"Huh?" she uttered, baffled by him. Canaria saw his grey eyes shifted to a bluish colour. His eyes reflected her clearly. At this moment, she felt the world around them slow down.</p><p>"If you come with me, your chances of surviving will be higher," he explained calmly. "I can't promise you the world but, it's better than staying here in this rotten place."</p><p>"Why... why would you take me with you?" she asked while staring at him dumbfounded.</p><p>He looked for the words to say. First of all, why was he even doing this? He already had it rough by himself. Taking a girl who doesn't even know anything in here would just drag him down. She would just get in his way. So why?</p><p>Levi looked up to avoid her burning gaze. "Who knows?" he flat out said. "...it's just unlike most people, I still have a conscience. If I let an idiot like you die here, I won't be able to sleep at night," he told her while letting out a genuine smile for the first time.</p><p>Canaria was stunned. Did he just—</p><p>She bursted out laughing while half crying. "I can't believe you copied me! You're ridiculous," she breathed.</p><p>"Thank you, Levi," she said as she wiped her tears away. Canaria took his hand. Her red eyes meeting with his blue ones, "Please take care of me from now on."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Trails of her past 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The day finally came when Levi's wounds had fully healed. Canaria never asked how he got it in the first place. She just kept quiet the whole time as she nursed him back to health. They had this silent agreement not to pry on each other's business. There were things just better off unspoken.</p><p>"The stitches seemed to have dissolved pretty well. There's no swelling where I did them, and there are no signs of infection," Canaria stated, doing the final check on Levi. She patted him by the shoulder and grinned, "You're good to go!"</p><p>"Finally. We can move out of this shitty place," Levi said while he stood up from the floor and dusted himself.</p><p>Canaria frowned at him. "Why? It's not <em>that </em>bad. There's a roof over our heads and it's a discreet location," she said, trying to convince him.</p><p>Levi gave her a look of disbelief. "The roof has a giant hole on it," he pointed out as his eyebrows raised itself.</p><p>"Having some fresh air inside isn't so bad," she said while crossing her arms.</p><p>"The walls are about to collapse, and the floor is covered in dirt and rubble. There's no proper place to take a bath... ahh, I've been dying for one," he breathed out. Levi sniffed his shirt and frowned.</p><p>Canaria scoffed. "Hey! I've been wiping your body from head to toe while you lie there like a vegetable! You should at least be grateful that I try and keep you clean," she exclaimed in frustration.</p><p>"That's not the point," Levi replied, his eyebrows furrowed. Talking to her was like talking to a wall. It was obvious that she didn't want to leave. Curious as he was, he didn't bother to ask, nor did he care enough to. All he knew was that they were getting the fuck out of there and have a nice long bath. He walked towards the door and told her, "Just pack your stuff, we're leaving."</p><p>She looked surprised, "H-huh? Already? But we could—"</p><p>"Canaria! We've talked about this before," he said, ending their pointless conversation. She was just trying to buy time and he didn't fell for it. "I'll wait outside."</p><p>She could only stare at his back before he left. She heaved out a sigh and turned her attention towards the pile of debris in the middle of the room. Her eyes swelled up immediately as she whispered, "I guess it's time to say goodbye."</p><p>"I'm sorry granny... but I can't stay here with you after all," she croaked while trying to hold back her tears. "I still want to live."</p><hr/><p>Levi was starting to get impatient. "What's taking her so long?"</p><p>The door behind him slowly creaked open. Canaria walked out with her cloak on and a doctor's bag in hand before shutting the door. "Sorry, I took a while," she said while walking towards Levi. "I had to sort through the rest of the medical supplies I have left," was her excuse.</p><p>"I see," he curtly said in response. His eyes caught a good glimpse of her face even though her head was low as she walked closer to him. Her eyes were a bit swollen. She must have cried while packing up. He wanted to ask but he wasn't one to pry on other people's business. So, he digressed and just grabbed her hand instead.</p><p>"Let's move," Levi said, yanking her.</p><p>Canaria looked back once more over the abandoned church with a pained look and gritted her teeth. She squeezed Levi's hand tightly. He felt this and tightened his grip in response to reassure her. Both continued to move forward without uttering a word as one silently understood the pain of the other.</p><hr/><p>"Where exactly are we going, Levi?" Canaria finally shattered the silence between them. She couldn't help but notice the increase of women loitering on the streets. Some were clothed decently but others were simply just wearing scanty clothes.</p><p>"We're taking a detour," he explained while moving forward.</p><p>"A detour? In a place like this?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "What for?"</p><p>"You sure got chatty all of a sudden," he said, looking back at her on the corner of his eyes. Levi briefly explained, "Someone owes me money for a job I did a couple of weeks ago. We're going to take the money before we go to my place."</p><p>Canaria felt relieved after his explanation. "I see."</p><p>"Did you think that I was going to sell you to a brothel?" he bluntly stated while still holding her hand.</p><p>Her eyes widened "T-that's not it!" she stammered. Embarrassed that the thought came across her mind. Her cheeks suddenly turned pink as she muttered, "That's not it..."</p><p>Levi chuckled before halting to a complete stop. "We're here," he said before letting go of her hand. He instructed, "Stick closely behind me."</p><p>She nodded. Canaria looked at the building they stopped at before coming in. It seemed to be a motel called <em>the Honeybee</em>. It was a dubious place but she had no choice but to follow Levi inside.</p><hr/><p>A bell rang as they opened the door to the motel. An enthusiastic woman immediately greeted them with a warm smile. But as soon as the woman saw who it was, her warm smile turned into a sneer. "Oh? Levi! It's been so long since I last saw your adorable face. I thought you were already dead," the innkeeper exclaimed with a grin on her face. "Seeing as you're alive... I take it, you finished the job?"</p><p>"Of course," he said, slightly annoyed as he remembered the trouble he had to go through.</p><p>"I see," the innkeeper chuckled. She grabbed a bag underneath the desk and placed it on top for Levi to see. "Here's for your hard work," the woman said as she pushed the bag of money towards Levi.</p><p>He took the bag and checked its contents. It was a bag full of coins and a stack of bills. "There's a lot more here than what we've talked about," he muttered while looking at the woman.</p><p>The innkeeper rested her elbow on the desk and placed her chin on top of her palm as she grinned at Levi. "I feel generous today. So, I figured I'd add some tip for your excellent service," she said as her eyes landed on Canaria's. When their eyes met, the old woman's eyes glistened with malice. Her lips curved into a wicked smile.</p><p>Canaria gulped as she hid behind Levi. She realized that she saw her eyes. It made her very uncomfortable.</p><p>He glared at the woman, cautious about what the old hag was up to. Levi grabbed the bag of money before grabbing Canaria's hand. "We're done here," he told her as he walked up to the door.</p><p>"Oh, leaving so soon?" the innkeeper said, disappointed. She sighed, "I thought we could work something out, Levi. After all, you're a smart boy."</p><p>Levi looked back at the woman. "What the hell are you on about, Vivian?"</p><p>"Levi, let's get out of here!" Canaria exclaimed as she tried to yank Levi out of the motel, but he wouldn't budge. Her heart started to race rapidly as she realized what the old woman was about to say. She yelled, "Levi!"</p><p>Vivian pointed her index finger at Canaria. She grinned as she said, "If you leave that girl here, I'll give you five times the amount I just gave you earlier."</p><p>His eyes widened. "Why are you willing to pay that much for a single girl?" he asked while gripping Canaria's hand tightly. Levi wanted to know what exactly he was dealing with by taking her with him.</p><p>"Some blueblood from above is asking for a girl with unusual features: white hair, red eyes. For what reason, I don't know. But the man's willing to pay a handsome amount of money if she's brought back alive," Vivian said as her hand slipped to grab something from underneath the desk. "So... are you willing to cooperate, Levi?"</p><p>Canaria bit the bottom of her lip as she prayed that he wouldn't betray her.</p><p>Levi went silent. He focused on his surroundings. He heard erratic footsteps coming from upstairs and outside. He chuckled as he asked, "You're not giving me much of a choice aren't you, you old hag?"</p><p>"Everyone knows how deals are secured here," Vivian stated as she quietly cocked the gun underneath the table. "So, what's it gonna be, boy?"</p><p>Levi laughed as he glared at the woman.</p><p>"Not a chance in hell," he said as he quickly grabbed the hidden knife inside his boot and threw it at Vivian. Simultaneously, Vivian fired the gun and shot through the wooden desk. Levi managed to dodge the bullet while the old woman wasn't fortunate enough to dodge the knife. The knife he threw stabbed her directly by the throat.</p><p>Levi didn't waste any time as he carried Canaria away from the front door and windows. He jumped behind the front desk where Vivian's corpse was. He retrieved his knife from her throat and spoke to Canaria, "Stay here and be quiet."</p><p>She nodded in panic as she watched him jump over the front desk. "It's happening again," Canaria muttered, recalling what happened to her family. Her breathing became irregular as she whispered to herself, "Am I just going to keep on hiding in the dark till everyone dies?"</p><hr/><p>The gunshot fired by Vivian alerted the others that were lurking from the shadows. The ones outside busted through the door, while the others upstairs began to run down the lobby to join the fray. Levi silently counted how many people he was up against. Three by the front door and two by the stairs. All men were armed with guns and knives.</p><p>Levi's eyes darted towards the closest man within his reach. He lunged at the man and quickly sliced his throat before using him as a shield for the incoming bullets. Once the rain of bullets stopped, he kicked the meat shield off him as he jumped towards the next victim before any of the men in the room could reload.</p><p>He stabbed the man by the skull and immediately pulled out his knife to go for the next. But before he could do so, the men by the stairs had finished reloading. The cocked their guns as they aimed it towards him. Levi hastily rolled over the floor to dodge the gunfire.</p><p>One of the men took this moment to run towards Levi in an attempt to stab him while he had his back on the floor. Levi saw this and quickly swept the man's feet off the floor. He stabbed him on the chest and got up to kill the remaining two by the stairs.</p><p>Canaria could only look through the hole underneath the desk that Vivian created when she fired the gun earlier. She watched Levi kill one man after another with such skill and speed. "If only I had his strength... I could've saved <em>them</em>," she told herself while looking through the hole.</p><p>She gasped as she noticed a man sneak in through the front door. Canaria looked at Levi who was too busy battling the men by the stairs. "Levi!" she exclaimed in panic. Her breathing became erratic once more. Was she just going to watch him die?</p><p>Her eyes fell on the floor. There, she saw Vivian's dead corpse still gripping a revolver by the hand. Canaria immediately grabbed the gun and stood up from where she was hiding. She aimed at the man by the door, who was getting ready to shoot Levi from behind. Her hands were shaking violently as she convinced herself to shoot.</p><p>Levi managed to kill the rest of the men. "That should be all of them," he muttered to himself.</p><p>All of a sudden, he heard gunfire. Levi's eyes widened as he touched his chest. There was no pain, there was no blood. He immediately turned around to see a man who was shot through the chest. The man crumbled down on the floor.</p><p>"Canaria!" he exclaimed as he rushed down to check on her.</p><p>Her eyes widened in horror and disbelief as she shot her first kill. "H-he fell down so easily," she whispered to herself as she let go of the gun.</p><p>Levi jumped over the desk and grabbed her by the shoulder. "I told you to stay here and be quiet!" he exclaimed angrily.</p><p>Tears fell on her cheeks as she looked at him in the eye. "H-he was going to shoot you, Levi. I had to do something," she stuttered while looking at her hands in horror.</p><p>He gritted his teeth and grabbed her into an embrace. She clutched on his back tightly as he cradled her while she cried her heart out. He didn't know how to comfort her. He planned to do all the dirty work when he asked her to come with him. She wasn't born in the darkness; she was white—untainted. He wanted to preserve that. But she had to bloody her hands to save him. It was her first and it was probably not going to be her last.</p><p>"It's the military police! Run! Run!" the crowd outside screamed in panic.</p><p>Levi squeezed her into a tighter embrace before he said, "We have to move."</p><p>"I-I can't move my legs," she breathed while quivering.</p><p>He clicked the tip of his tongue as he carried her on both of his arms. "Grab on to me, we're leaving," he told her as he jumped over the desk and ran out of the motel.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Trails of her past 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Red.</p>
<p>She stared at her own reflection on the mirror. Her face covered in cold sweat, her body shaking after waking up from the same reoccurring nightmare. Red eyes gazed back at her menacingly as if it belonged to a killer—her; a person that she had become not too long ago due to the incident at the motel. Perhaps she was already one even before that and she was just in denial.</p>
<p>Red, the very same colour that remained prevalent throughout her entire life that had drowned her very existence. The same colour as her string of fate that was attached to a series of unfortunate events.</p>
<p>She slammed her fist on the mirror, cracking a portion of it. Her shattered reflection matched her tattered state of mind. She cupped her tired face and sighed, "What am I doing?"</p>
<p>Canaria planned to die in that crumbling church. She wanted to stay and rot there so there would be no more tragedies to happen because of her. But meeting him, seeing the rebellious look in his eyes even at death's door reignited the fire inside her. He gave back her will to live.</p>
<p>"I want to see him…" she muttered to herself.</p>
<hr/>
<p>He heard a series of knock on the door. "Levi... are you awake?" the person behind the door asked while opening it, not bothering to wait for his response.</p>
<p>Levi chose to pretend to be asleep. His back facing her, hiding his conscious and awake state. He hadn't seen her left the room ever since the incident at the motel. She didn't talk nor eat for days. It was probably a normal response after killing someone, but he wouldn't know. He could only assume what the word normal was for someone who didn't grew up drinking sewer water. But now that she finally approached him, he thought that it would be best to remain as he was if she went inside his room assuming he was asleep. If he were to be awake, she might retract back to her room due to fear of confrontation.</p>
<p>He heard her footsteps as she slowly approached the edge of his bed. "I guess you're asleep," she said while tugging up the blanket he was under and getting in bed with him. Her arms enclosed the gap between them as she pulled herself closer to him. Her warm breath trickled on the back of his neck. With her chest pressed tightly against his back, he could sense her fear and nervousness from the loud drumming of her heartbeat.</p>
<p>"Levi... do you know the story of the frog at the bottom of the well?" she asked rhetorically. He didn't respond. Levi continued to listen as she told him the story.</p>
<p>"One day, a frog from a small pond was attacked by predators. Its family were eaten and it was chased away from its home. The frog jumped into a well to escape its pursuers. There it stayed for a long time alone by itself. It was cold, dark, suffocatingly small and dirty inside. The food was scarce and there wasn't anyone to talk to. But at the bottom of the well, the trapped frog felt satisfied and content. It didn't have to worry about others dying or predators coming from outside. At the bottom of that well, the frog was fine all alone till darkness swallowed the light and death slowly lulling it to sleep. But..."</p>
<p>He felt her arms tighten the embrace. "One night, a strange radiance illuminated the bottom of the well. The frog looked up at the sky and saw the full moon. It was enthralled by the beauty of it. For the first time, the frog wanted to get out of the well. In that tiny hole, it caught a tiny glimpse of the starry sky. It wanted to see more."</p>
<p>She sank her head on his neck and continued, "I accepted that I was going to die in there—in that decrepit church. But that night when you came along... when I saw the look in your eyes... somehow I felt empowered. You've managed to survive in this place on your own. Even at death's door, you were proud and defiant. Your eyes screamed your strong will to live. You were beautiful. It shook me up. I felt embarrassed that I easily gave up, that I was willing to die without even trying. Back at the motel, seeing you... it gave me the courage to leap out of the well and pull the trigger. I wanted to be strong just like you."</p>
<p>Hearing what she said made his heart race. His ears turned red, his face felt hot as he heard her thoughts about herself and him. He didn't know that he made such an impression on her. Levi softly chuckled as he couldn't help but muttered, "You're such a kid."</p>
<p>He heard Canaria gasp in shock after he spoke. She immediately tried to retract her arms from him in panic. Levi turned around and caught her before she escaped. Their positions reversed as he was the one embracing her this time. After how many days of not talking and seeing each other, they finally had a face to face."Trying to escape after saying such an embarrassing thing, you brat?"</p>
<p>"I-I thought you were asleep!" she exclaimed while trying to avoid his eyes, embarrassed for her life.</p>
<p>He freed one of his arms to cup her cheeks and have a better view of her face. Her hair was dishevelled, she had big dark circles underneath her eyes. His grey eyes shifted to a bluish colour as he caught sight of her red eyes. "You look like shit," he told her frankly. His eyes narrowed, "You smell like shit too."</p>
<p>"I'm sorry!" she said as he arms tried to push herself away from him.</p>
<p>His lips curved into a smile. He softly spoke, "But seeing your face and hearing you talk after being quiet for so long... this isn't so bad."</p>
<p>Her eyes got glassy. She bit the bottom of her lip, "I'm sorry..."</p>
<p>"Rejected," Levi said while letting her go and getting up. She gasped as he scooped her out of the bed and took her downstairs. He glared at her menacingly while carrying her towards the bathroom. "You sure have guts to get into my bed in the middle of the night and hug me with your shitty arms while you're covered in filth. I'll have to punish you."</p>
<p>Her eyes widened in fear. "W-what are you going to do, Levi?"</p>
<p>"Ah? What are you shaking all scared for? I'm just going to give you a nice long bath and make you clean up the shit you've made until now," he calmly stated as he continued. "You've soiled my clothes so I probably need to take a bath too. Why don't we go together to save water?"</p>
<p>"Y-you can't be serious?!" she stuttered, reflexively shielding her chest from him.</p>
<p>"Acting all embarrassed now? You've rubbed your dirty hands all over me before. Plus after what you've said earlier, you don't have any more dignity to save. So, stop being a brat and strip," he said while dropping her on the floor of the bathroom and closing the door. He took off his shirt and started to strip his other clothes.</p>
<p>She shielded her virgin eyes from Levi's naked body. He, on the other hand, took this opportunity to get rid of her filthy dress.</p>
<p>Canaria could only scream with her eyes shut as Levi touched and scrubbed her in places no man had touched before.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Turbulent Stir</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Her left cheek felt numb as she sat on the chair with her face planted on the table while waiting for Levi to get home. The sound of the clock ticking drained her ever-depleting patience. After cleaning the whole house and doing the laundry, there wasn't much to do inside besides cook for him when he gets home. She heaved out a long sigh as she wallowed in self-pity. "Why do I suddenly feel like a housewife?" she said in complete dread.</p><p>One way or another, they have had to have some form of income to survive. Levi had to be the breadwinner for now because of numerous reasons. Other than being good with medicine, she wasn't particularly good at anything else that could be useful underground.</p><p>"I said I wanted to be strong like him... but in the end, this is all I can do," she muttered to herself.</p><p>She couldn't set up a clinic because not only does she not have the tools and enough medical supplies but also the people in the Underground wouldn't be able to afford the fees. She also couldn't take any jobs because they don't know if the noble that was looking for her had hired other people. Canaria didn't know any self-defence in case Levi wasn't there to protect her. So in the end, she just chose not to go out so she wouldn't get in his way.</p><p>She sighed once more. She felt bad for Levi as he had to work twice as hard for both of them. "If only I didn't have this stupid hair colour," she said in an exasperated tone while tugging a clump of her long white hair. While staring at her hair, her eyes widened as an idea popped in her head. She immediately got up and slammed her hands on the table and exclaimed, "Why haven't I thought about this before?!"</p><p>Canaria rushed to grab her cloak and covered herself with it. She inhaled deeply while approaching the door. If Levi knew that she left the house, he'd give some unthinkable punishment to her like before. Her cheeks felt hot when she recalled what happened a couple of weeks ago in the bathroom. The way he touched her most intimate parts were still fresh in her mind and body. But then, she shook her head and digressed.</p><p>"This isn't the time for that. It's about independence! I can't just keep on relying on him for everything," she muttered to herself as she mustered the courage to open the door.</p><hr/><p>She was very cautious while heading towards the market. All she had to do was buy some black walnuts and make it back home without being followed. Canaria made sure to watch her surroundings for any signs of suspicious people. Then again, she couldn't tell who was and who wasn't suspicious. Hell, she probably looked pretty suspicious herself. Paranoia spiralled in her head as she continued to think of such thoughts. In a panic, she picked up the pace and walked faster.</p><p>As soon as she arrived at the market, she browsed for stalls that sold nuts. When her eyes landed on a bulk of black walnuts, she immediately grabbed the money from her pouch and bought a bag full of it. "I'm not sure how much I need, so I guess I'll take a bag for now," she muttered to herself as she walked back.</p><p>She halted when she saw a familiar-looking container being sold at a stall. Her eyes widened when remembered that Levi loved those black tea leaves. Her lips formed a curve as she went to buy it for him. Spoiling him every once in a while was something she could do for him, at least.</p><p>Canaria happily held the bag of goods as she walked back. Her mind was filled with thoughts on where to apply for work once she was done dyeing here hair and brewing Levi the precious tea he loves. But suddenly, her thoughts were interrupted by a tall young man with blond hair. He purposefully bumped into her and tried to run away with her pouch. Unfortunately for him, the pouch was securely connected to a belt that was tightly wrapped around her waist.</p><p>"W-what the hell?!" the thief tugged on the bag harder.</p><p>Canaria securely held the bag on one arm while using the other to push away the thief. Their tug of war ended with her being sent off to the floor. Her hood fell, causing her hair and face to be exposed. She winced in pain from the impact and slowly got up while rubbing the back of her head. Her fiery red orbs glared at the thief's cool grey eyes.</p><p>Both of their eyes widened at the sight of each other. One was in awe of the other's appearance, while the other was in shock that she blew her cover. When Canaria realized that her hair and face were exposed, she hastily picked up the bag and pulled up her hood. Once back on her feet, she tried running away from the scene.</p><p>But the blond thief managed to outrun her and grabbed her forearm. "W-wait!" the thief exclaimed as he gripped her arm tightly.</p><p>She flinched in pain. "Stop! It hurts!" she yelled while trying to break free from his clutches. The sound of fast-approaching footsteps coming from where they came earlier made Canaria gasp in panic. She struggled even more to try and get away from him.</p><p>The thief noticed her distressed face be more agitated as the sound of footsteps grew louder. He picked up that she was getting chased. The blond young man looked behind him and saw a couple of men approaching closer. He gritted his teeth and yanked her into his arms. "Hold on!" he told her as he picked her up and took her to the alleyways, away from her pursuers.</p><p>Canaria kept hitting the thief with her fist while he carried her. "Let me go!" she exclaimed angrily.</p><p>The blond man winced in pain at each time her fist landed on his head. "O-ouch! Ouch! Hey, stop! Can't you see that I'm trying to get you out of here?" the thief spat back at her.</p><p>"I wouldn't be in this situation if you didn't try to mug me in the first place!" she retorted while hitting him some more. "Now, let me go!"</p><p>"I'm sorry, okay?! I was wrong!" he exclaimed. He gritted his teeth as his eyes focused on the road ahead.</p><p>When he saw a good opportunity to hide, he took it. The young man took Canaria with him behind a couple of crates and sealed her mouth with his hand. He made sure her voice was muffled as they stayed silent. The footsteps of their pursuers grew louder and then slowly faded as they passed by them. He heaved a sigh and removed his hand over her mouth.</p><p>She gasped for air before darting a glare at the man who was still holding her. "Could you let go now?" she was angry but she did try and help her during the short amount of time they knew each other—even if he did try to steal from her.</p><p>He raised both of his arms as a sign to make peace with her. "I'm sorry," he sincerely apologized.</p><p>A sigh escaped her lips before giving him another look. "Look, I'm really upset at you. But since you helped me out, I guess I should thank you," she said before pausing, "so, thanks."</p><p>"N-no problem," he said, a bit surprised. He nervously chuckled before trying to make a conversation, "So, those men are after you, huh?"</p><p>She tightened the grip on the bag of goods before replying, "Yeah." She stood up, dusted herself, and made sure her cloak was wrapped around her properly.</p><p>He gave her a good look while she was tidying herself up. Even with the hood on, he could tell that she was about his age and was pretty attractive. He assumed that her strange features lured those men into pursuing her in hopes of selling her to a brothel or some rich perverted guy from above. To him, she didn't seem like the type who would survive in the Underground by herself. So, he suggested, "You should come with me! I know a place. I can help you out."</p><p>Canaria was startled by his proposal. "You sure have some audacity to ask me to come with you after you've just tried to mug me," she said as she narrowed her eyes at him. He seemed to be a bit sincere about this but she shook her head. "I have to decline. Look, I have to go back before that person comes home," she told him before starting to walk away.</p><p>"That person?" the blond young man muttered to himself. He thought she was by herself. He clenched his fist into a ball, a bit disappointed at her reply. He tugged her cloak which made Canaria turn around and glare at him. "W-wait!" he exclaimed, "My name's Farlan. Come to this place if you need help. I'll be there." Farlan handed out a small piece of paper that had a sketch of a certain alleyway with some minor instructions scribbled on it.</p><p>She raised her eyebrow at his strange but kind gesture. "I'm Canaria. Listen, Farlan. You're a bit weird but you seem like a kind and reasonable guy. I just wish you wouldn't steal from poor people like me or yourself. Maybe try and go for a bigger fish next time," she pointed out while giving him a soft smile.</p><p>Farlan chuckled as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Yeah..."</p><p>Canaria placed the paper inside her pouch and parted ways with Farlan. Her anxious thoughts resurfaced as she wished Levi wasn't home before her.</p><hr/><p>Levi clicked the tip of his tongue as he cleaned off the blood spatter on his face. "Tch. How filthy," he grimaced while rubbing off the blood with a clean cloth.</p><p>Some things never change. Piles of dead bodies here and there, the scent of sweat, rust, and sewer intertwining within his nostrils, and blood spatter all over that displayed his usual modus operandi. But even though he was still doing the same dirty work as before, going home was a completely different story for him.</p><p>It wasn't just an empty place for him to take a bath and sleep in anymore. There was someone there, waiting for him. A smile formed on his lips as he recalled a certain white-haired girl with a stupidly enthusiastic face greeting him whenever he got back. She was like a dog wagging its tail when its master got home.</p><p>Her red eyes would glisten like the stars whenever she saw him. He wouldn't admit it to her face, but he was happy every time she welcomed him home. All the feeling of anger and pain that he was feeling after work would subside whenever she gave him that bright and warm smile. Her calling out his name was like a magic spell that would ring in his ears and tell him that everything was ok—that he was back home safe and sound.</p><p>Her existence changed everything for him. It was both a comforting and frightening feeling. He was extremely happy that he could do something for someone else. She made him feel reliable, that he could actually control and change something in his life. Within the suffocating confines of the Underground, he wasn't some faceless thug who was scraping by to survive anymore. Someone acknowledged him for who he was. Someone needed him. Someone wanted him. He was somebody to her. She made him feel this way. It was all thanks to her that he felt like an actual human being and not some wild beast that just scavenged and wandered aimlessly in the sewers to survive.</p><p>But all of this made him feel vulnerable at the same time. The thought of losing her was unbearable that the thought alone made it difficult for him to breathe. After getting a taste of a life with someone who wanted, needed, and cared for him, he couldn't and wouldn't go back. He would always gather information about the people after her. If he heard anyone attempting for her life, he would immediately get rid of them. He did everything he could to prevent any harm to come to her. To him, she was a precious and irreplaceable existence.</p><p>"Shit! We lost her." Levi heard a couple of men whisper about a white-haired, red-eyed girl.</p><p>His heart sank and his eyes immediately widened when he realized she was in danger. He didn't bother dealing with those men. He had to find her and make sure she was safe. Levi ran as fast as he could back to his place. Fear and anxiety ruled over his head. She didn't leave the house for so long because she knew what the dangers of going outside entailed. She was intelligent and rational, that's why he trusted her to stay put. How did they manage to find her? Was he followed when he went home before? What exactly happened? Crazy thoughts spiralled in his head as his heart drummed faster than he could run.</p><p>He managed to get home in a short amount of time. The front door was still locked which was a good sign. When he entered, she wasn't there to welcome him back. Levi hastily ran to the kitchen and upstairs to look for her. She wasn't anywhere. Everything seemed to be in order, there were no signs of forced entry nor signs of any struggle. He gritted his teeth in frustration. Where the hell was she?</p><p>Levi went back downstairs. He gave the first floor one more look before he decided to go out to look for her. But before he could reach the front door, Levi heard a familiar voice softly humming. The sound came from the bathroom. He immediately ran towards it and slammed the door open.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Eye to eye</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Canaria yelped and instinctively shielded her chest, startled by the intruder who interrupted her bath. Her red eyes widened as she saw Levi looking menacingly at her. He looked haggard and completely out of breath. "L-Levi? What's wrong?" she asked, completely concerned and confused by him.</p><p>Levi didn't respond. His brain was slowly processing that she was there. He carefully scanned her naked body for any injury. When he saw a bruise on her forearm, his eyebrows furrowed as he gritted his teeth in anger. He walked up to her and forcefully grabbed her arm. Levi glowered while glaring at her, "Where did you get this?"</p><p>She winced in pain as she felt his tight grip. She avoided having direct eye contact with him, feeling guilty. "On the way home," she replied while biting her lower lip.</p><p>He felt like he was going to explode at any moment. She had no idea what she was doing to him. "I didn't take you for an idiot before. But you're actually pretty stupid aren't you, Canaria?" he spat out. "You knew that there are people looking for you all over this damned place. But you still went out there like a moron."</p><p>"I didn't get caught, alright? I managed to lose them on my way home," she told him. Canaria purposefully excluded meeting Farlan from her story. She reassured him, "Everything's fine."</p><p>"Fine?" he scoffed.</p><p>"This." Levi squeezed her bruised forearm. She winced. "This looks fine to you? Have your eyes become shitty that you can't see this?"</p><p>"It's just a bruise! It'll heal up eventually," Canaria downplayed her injury.</p><p>He felt a vein pop in his temple. His ears started to ring. He was so furious. She wouldn't even look at him in the eye while talking. Levi threw her arm and pushed her body on the wet floor. He towered over her. He sealed her movements by trapping her sides with both of his arms and his right leg sitting between her thighs. He commanded in a deep low growl, "Look at me!"</p><p>Her heart pounded on her chest. She turned her head and saw the look on Levi's face. Her eyes widened as she saw the pained look he was giving her. She didn't know what to say. Canaria could only utter his name, "Levi…"</p><p>His bluish-grey eyes met her red orbs. He saw his reflection in her glassy eyes. The expression he was giving right now… how he was shaking, furious at her carelessness and lack of consideration for him… He wanted her to see what she was doing to him. "You don't know what you're doing to me," he breathed as he trembled.</p><p>"My head's been filled with thoughts about you lately. All this time, I've been thinking about how to keep you safe. How to protect you from the fuckers that are after you."</p><p>Canaria couldn't find the words to respond. She never knew what he was really thinking all this time. He never talked much about what he felt. She couldn't do anything but listen as he continued to talk. "I thought you were smart. So, I trusted you. I didn't think that I have to protect you from yourself," he said while letting out a pained expression.</p><p>"Right now, I have these crazy thoughts in my head. I'm thinking whether or not I should break your legs or chain and lock you up so you wouldn't be able to leave. Or maybe I should just fuck you senseless till you can't walk."</p><p>He drew his face close, his black hair draping over them. His forehead rested on top of hers. Their lips were brushing against each other with each breath they took. "I'm so angry at you," he breathed hotly as his head went lower towards her neck. Levi sank his teeth on the side of her neck and sucked on her porcelain skin till he almost drew blood. His leg pressed closer on her lower intimate part. He felt her hand grip his shirt as she gasped sharply.</p><p>"W-wait… Levi," she called out, trying to push him away. "Let's talk this out!"</p><p>"Talk?" he gritted. He grabbed her jaw and glared at her. "Is that what you're going to do when those pigs get their filthy hands on you like this?"</p><p>She quivered in fear. "I-I…I…" Canaria bit her lower lip. She didn't know what to say.</p><p>"I've coddled you too much. You've probably grown complacent while living with me, so you probably forgot where you are right now," he told her. "Let me remind what you are and how things work here in the Underground."</p><p>He grabbed both of her wrists and held it over her head with one arm. He parted her thighs with his leg to make way for his other one. "You're too weak and naive. You trusted me easily and allowed me to do this to you. Without even doing much, I can pin you down like this."</p><p>Levi looked at her with deadpanned eyes. "You're a woman. Any man who sees you like this will immediately think with their dick. Once they get their hands on you and get you in this position, it's over. You can't run or hide. You can struggle all you want. You can cry and scream for help as loud as you want, but no one will come to save you."</p><p>His black hair draped on the sides of his face. His face was dark, and his eyes felt cold. She couldn't even see her reflection in his eyes. It was as if he was looking at something else. Canaria shuddered in fear. Her heart raced, nervous at what he was about to do to her. She called out his name once more, "Levi…"</p><p>"With this, I can do whatever I want to you," he stated coldly as his free hand cupped her chin.</p><p>His thumb brushed her lower lip as he looked at the woman trembling before him. His hand traced down and explored her body. From her soft quivering lips to her neck to which he left his mark on, to her collarbones, and then down to her bosom that rose with each breath she took. She was beautiful. The thought of anyone else touching her like this made him feel sick.</p><p>His hand cupped her soft breast which fit perfectly in his calloused palm. He felt her flinch at his touch. He lowered his head on her chest. His sticky hot breath made her shiver. He licked a spot just a little bit on top of her pinkish nipple before he kissed her skin and sucked that part. She bit the bottom of her lip and tried to prevent herself from letting out a moan.</p><p>He knew that she wasn't going to be able to prevent herself from moaning for long. When he was done placing a mark on her chest, his tongue trailed down to her erect nipple. He rolled his tongue around it and nibbled it with his teeth. He sucked her nipple hard as his hand roughly groped her breast.</p><p>Canaria gasped and breathed heavily. Whatever he was doing was making her lower half feel sticky and wet.</p><p>He gave her chest one last kiss before moving down even lower. His lips peppered her abdomen with kisses. His hand squeezed her breast once more. Then it left her bosom to explore her nether region. His palm softly caressed her inner thighs.</p><p>He retracted back his head to look at her face. He wanted to see what kind of expression she had. Her red eyes were glassy, her cheeks were flushed, and she was breathing heavily. He wanted to know hard he could push her till she cried. He wanted to bully her—to punish her for making him feel this way.</p><p>"L-Levi please," she begged him.</p><p>He gritted his teeth as each time she called out his name, his gut felt like it was getting twisted. "Shut your mouth," he exclaimed in annoyance.</p><p>He crashed his lips against hers. Her eyes widened, startled by his sudden attack. With their lips finally meeting, it sent chills down their spine. She tasted sickeningly sweet that it was addicting. He wanted more. Levi slid his arm on her back and propped her head with his hand. Her lips slightly parted and gave him an opening to use his tongue. He slid his tongue inside her mouth and wrapped his around hers as he continued to kiss her. The air became sparse as with each passing moment, he took her breath away.</p><p>As he continued to kiss her roughly, a mixed feeling of fear, anger, guilt, and excitement stirred within him. He just wanted her to realize what she was doing to him. How it slowly drove him mad because of all the feelings she was making him experience for the first time. He was confused about what to do with them.</p><p>He knew that she was the root of his inner turmoil. The fear of losing her drove him mad. The thought of other men touching her angered him. Sadness, fear, and anger. All his life, these were the only feelings he was familiar with. These were the emotions he knew how to express. These were the emotions he knew how to deal with. And how he dealt with it was through sheer violence.</p><p>Violence was something he grew up with and cultivated him to be the person he was right now. It was through violence that he managed to survive in the Underground. It was through violence that he found a way to numb the sadness and pain. But this didn't apply to her.</p><p>She grew up in a world much different from his. Being with her made him caught a glimpse of what it was like in her world. Her gentleness, kindness, and compassion were like a hot ray of sunshine piercing through this cold detestable abyss. Through her, he felt warmth again. It was an indescribable fleeting sensation that made him feel human once more. He wanted to keep that intangible feeling.</p><p>But the world they were currently in was cold and unforgiving. He felt that at any moment that ephemeral light would cease to exist. To him, she was delicate and fragile. He wanted to protect her—her innocence, that's why he wanted her to stay inside.</p><p>When she left to go outside, it ruined him. He didn't want her to end up broken like him. He wanted her to know that. But the only way he could get his feelings across was through violence.</p><p>There he was, pushing himself on her and putting his dirty hands all over her. But even with what he did, she never answered back with the same violence he displayed. She never denied him. She never rejected him. She never struggled as he touched her in all places. He felt guilty and disgusted at himself. He needed to stop himself before he completely defiled her.</p><p>He gently pulled his head away from her as he lifted his grip from her wrists. Their lips slowly parted. He wanted to have one good look at her before he would disappear from her sight.</p><p>Her glassy red eyes withheld her tears. She panted heavily. Her lips were swollen from its rough union with his. He felt like shit because he partially enjoyed what happened. He hated himself for what he did. He wanted to apologize but the words just couldn't leave his fucking mouth. He gritted his teeth and couldn't hold back the tears. At this point, he just wanted to disappear.</p><p>He started to get up. But as soon as he did, she wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him back to her. He saw her red eyes reflecting his sad pathetic state. Her swollen lips opened and told him with those quivering swollen lips, "Don't go. We still haven't talked yet."</p><p>He bit the bottom of his lip as he tried to avoid her eyes. She cupped his cheeks and drew his face back towards her. "Look at me," she softly said while putting on a gentle look on her face. She wiped away his tears with her thumb as she gave him a tender smile.</p><p>"You big dummy…" she said, pulling him into an embrace. She caressed his back and reassured him, "No one's going to take me away and I'm not going anywhere either."</p><p>He bit the bottom of his lip as he reciprocated her action. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in a tight embrace. He sank his head on her neck as the tears continued to flow out. He could feel her pounding heart on his chest. He found her heartbeat slowly calming him.</p><p>She continued to softly stroke his back as he let his true feelings out. While listening to his silent cries, she couldn't help but apologize over and over. "I'm sorry, Levi. I'm really sorry."</p><p>"I wanted to be of help to you," she told him. "Remember what I told you that one night? I told you that I wanted to be strong just like you. You gave me the courage to move forward."</p><p>"You took me in when I had nowhere to go. You cared for me and protected me. I may be naïve and weak, but I still wanted to do something and be useful to you," she explained to him.</p><p>He buried his head deeper into her neck and gave her a squeeze. "You don't have to do anything! You can just stay here and wait for me to come home. I'll take care of everything."</p><p>She smiled at him and shook her head. "I can't do that. You've become someone important to me—someone that I want to protect. I can't lose anyone else anymore. Not anyone. Not you," she admitted to him. "That's why I want to become strong. So, I can stand next to you no matter what and protect you since we'll always be together from now on."</p><p>He clicked the tip of his tongue and lifted his head from her shoulder. He felt overjoyed hearing the words she spoke. But being his usual self, he gave her an annoyed look with his swollen bluish-grey eyes. "Tch. You're one stubborn little shit."</p><p>She giggled. She felt happy that he was back to his old self.</p><p>He looked at her cheery face. The feeling of guilt still lingered in him. He muttered, "I'm sorry…"</p><p>Her red eyes stared at his bluish-grey ones. She gave him a soft gentle smile before she loosened her grip on his body and pulled his head closer to her face with her arms.</p><p>His eyes widened as she pulled him in for a soft kiss.</p><p>"I…I don't hate it when you touch me. In fact, I kinda like it," she confessed as she looked at him in the eye. Her cheeks were beet red.</p><p>He was stunned at first. But deep inside, he felt relieved and ecstatic. He felt his beating heart pound on his chest. She introduced to him another new feeling. This time it was flutteringly sensual and filled him with overflowing happiness. He welcomed this new and obscure feeling with open arms as he opened his lips and said, "I'm gonna kiss you again."</p><p>"Ok," she breathed.</p><p>He slowly moved his head closer to her face. He closed his eyes as he felt his lips reuniting with hers. Her soft plump lips against his was a spine-tingling sensation. He felt her arms pulling his head closer for a deeper and more passionate kiss. He reciprocated by tightening his embrace and supporting her head with his hand as he pressed his lips harder against hers.</p><p>They stayed in each other's arms while sharing a hot and passionate kiss. Words weren't needed as they both clarified their feelings for each other. That night, they finally saw each other eye to eye.</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>7. To be by his side 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The soft light from the candle traced the contours of his sleeping form. His soft black hair draped over his perfectly structured face. She combed his hair back with her fingertips and revealed the exhausted look on his countenance. Her eyebrows furrowed at the sight of his colossal eyebags. Her palm cupped his cheek as her thumb softly stroke his face.</p><p>He was a strong callous man who wouldn't hesitate to end someone's life in order to survive. He was someone who was moulded by the wickedness and depravity of people. As a result, his response to most situations usually involved the use of brute force and violence. He was like a beast living in the wilderness.</p><p>Though, she couldn't fault him for his past transgressions. She hardly knew him. She knew nothing of his past. But from what she observed during the short amount of time they've been together; it took him everything to survive underground. Through all of that, he was alone by himself.</p><p>She traced his brows as she contemplated about his recent outburst. Her presence must have thrown him off. His mental equilibrium shaken to the core as she abruptly inserted herself in his life. She could tell that he wasn't used to having someone around.</p><p>His initial reaction to her was cold and distrustful. But when she constantly showed him kindness that he was clearly deprived of, he slowly gave in and accepted her. He kept trying to do everything for both of them all on his own afterwards. Granted, his choice was logical given the circumstance and she wholeheartedly appreciated his efforts. But something about his actions seemed just a bit off for her.</p><p>His cold and reserved exterior served as his sword and shield to fend off people in order to protect himself. It was a façade he put up to hide his extremely volatile emotions. Somewhere deep down, he knew well that attachments made him vulnerable. But even then, he still chose to bring her with him.</p><p>She couldn't fault him for the things he did and the way he was. Because she knew that underneath all that icy bravado, was just a simple man who wanted to live—just a simple man who yearned for warmth and comfort. His transparent needs and desire seemed human just like everyone else. Still, there was something that bothered her.</p><p>She recalled the look he gave her when he was desperately trying to tell her how he felt. Although his eyes reflected her, she could tell that he was looking at something else. She knew what it was. It was this distorted notion of her. He was clinging into this image of a helpless and innocent girl that needed protection—that needed him. She knew that somewhere along the lines that he was right. But that wasn't what she wanted to be. Not to anyone, not to him. Not anymore.</p><p>With their previous intimate exchange, she felt that she needed him as much as he needed her. Whether it was purely out of physical attraction or love or something entirely different, she hadn't had the time to fully confirm. But it was certain that their relationship was slowly building up to something solid and concrete. She didn't want to cement the idea of her being helpless without him within the foundation of this blossoming connection they had. She didn't want such a fragile bond between them.</p><p>She bit the bottom of her lip. "To stand next to you no matter what," were the words she uttered to him. She meant those words from the bottom of her heart. But did she have what it takes to back it up? The answer never left the back of her throat. Deep down, despite her willingness to stay by his side, she knew that there was something she still significantly lacked.</p><p>He grunted at her continuous touching. She abandoned her thoughts for now and focused on the man before her who was slowly opening his eyes. His hand caught hers and halted her actions. His cool grey eyes cracked open to meet hers. "What are you doing?" he sleepily asked her in a low husky tone.</p><p>His sleepy dishevelled look and groggy voice captivated her. She avoided his gaze and took back her hand, trying to calm her heart at the sight of him. "N-nothing. I'm sorry for waking you up," she responded sheepishly.</p><p>She slowly got up. "I'll turn off the lights."</p><p>He reeled her back in bed and into his arms. His eyes peered into her when she curled next to him. "Talk," he said while staring at her.</p><p>He had always been perceptive and sensitive of what others felt despite the cold front he constantly put up. She found it troublesome whenever she wanted to keep her emotions to herself. Beautiful as those eyes were, she felt naked and vulnerable underneath his intense gaze. Sometimes she felt that his grey eyes could see through her soul. She shuddered as the thought always sent shivers down her spine.</p><p>"I was just thinking…" she paused, trying to piece together the right words to say.</p><p>"About what?" he breathed out as he pulled her closer to him. He nestled his head between her neck and her protruding collarbones. His eyelashes tickled her skin as he closed his eyes, his warm breathing made her tremble in his arms.</p><p>She combed his hair with her fingers. Her gesture earned her a soft groan from him. He dug his head deeper in her with his lips brushing against her skin as her fingertips gently scratched his scalp. She giggled at his reaction. She found it quite endearing.</p><p>"I was just thinking about us."</p><p>"What's there to think about?"</p><p>Her eyes gazed at the ceiling. "A lot of things," she spoke.</p><p>"Like what?" he probed.</p><p>"Well…" she trailed off. A series of questions and infinite possibilities flooded her mind. "I don't know where to start."</p><p>"What's bothering you the most?"</p><p>"Do you really want to know?"</p><p>"Tch. Just tell me."</p><p>She pursed her lips while in deep thought. It took her a moment to reply. "I guess it would be the nature of our connection. What binds you and I together."</p><p>He peeled himself off of her and adjusted his head to have a better view of her countenance. "What?" he asked with a confused look on his face.</p><p>"If you think about it, we hardly know each other. We've only just met about a couple of months ago and we never really talk about our past. While the length of time we spent together may not be proportional to the quality of interaction we had, we still can't deny the fact that you took me with you purely out of necessity. So, the question is, what keeps us together? Is it something concrete like physical attraction? Or something abstract like feelings and emotions?"</p><p>Her overly complicated thoughts seemed to have knocked off his drowsiness. "Canaria, it's the middle of the fucking night and this is the shit you think about?"</p><p>An exasperated sigh escaped her lips. "Well… you asked."</p><p>"We're together because you're helpless by yourself," he pointed out. "It's not hard to figure that out."</p><p>"I know. That's what's bothering me the most." She bit the bottom of her lip. "I don't want the centre of our relationship to revolve around this weakness of mine."</p><p>He stared at her. He couldn't stand the troubled look on her face. "So, what do you want to do about it?"</p><p>Her eyes landed on his. "I want to learn how to fight. I want you to teach me, Levi."</p><p>She saw his eyes widened at what she said. "Here you go with this shit again," he spat out. They've had a similar conversation like this before. It was clear that his stance on the matter never changed despite their previous heart to heart.</p><p>He clicked the tip of his tongue, annoyed by her stubbornness. Levi retracted his arms from her as he rolled over. He turned his back on her to avoid her unyielding eyes. "That stupid idea of yours is going to get yourself killed."</p><p>"Not if you teach me properly," she retorted while snuggling closer to him. She pleaded, "Please?"</p><p>She didn't hear him respond so she decided to climb on top of him. "Levi?"</p><p>When her eyes landed on his, she saw what he was trying to hide. Fear.</p><p>"Do you know the consequences of what you're asking for?" he asked her.</p><p>She felt a lump get stuck in her throat. "I-I've killed someone before," she tried to remind him what happened at the inn.</p><p>"Doing it with a knife is different than pulling a trigger from a gun, Canaria. That disgusting feeling in your hands lingers longer. Someone weak and fragile like you wouldn't be able to handle the weight of guilt that comes along with it."</p><p>"Don't treat me like I'm a child you need to coddle from everything!" she exclaimed frustratedly.</p><p>He gritted his teeth at her persistence. "What the hell are you talking about? You are a brat. You suck at cleaning and your cooking is subpar. How the hell do you expect me to teach you something strenuous and complicated when you can barely do simple shit like that?"</p><p>She gasped at his words. "E-excuse me?! Cleaning I understand but even my cooking too? You always eat everything that I make! Now you call it subpar? That's just mean," Canaria huffed. "You take that back."</p><p>"I've never lied to you before. I'm not starting now," Levi said, slightly amused that he could derail the conversation by nitpicking at her handiwork.</p><p>Her eyes widened at the blatant slander coming out of his mouth. "Y-you!" she inhaled sharply, completely flabbergasted by him. "That's it! I can't stand your insolence any longer. I'm going to have to punish you."</p><p>"What are you—"</p><p>She didn't give him enough time to prepare as she tickled his sides. The moment he squirmed at her touch was when she found out his weak points. Canaria laughed as Levi danced to her touch in bed. She grinned while continuing to tickle him. "Not so tough now, huh? Look at you, writhing all over the bed like the insolent ungrateful worm that you are. Now beg for forgiveness before I—"</p><p>Levi managed to grab both of her wrists and flipped their position. He pushed her down into the bed when he had the chance. He pinned her wrists on her sides, preventing her from doing anything else with those crafty hands of hers. His eyes glared at her, unappreciative of this revelation that he was weak to her touch.</p><p>Her dominion over him was over too quickly. Canaria nervously chuckled at the sudden turnabout of their situation. "L-Levi…" she gulped. "I-I was just k-kidding!"</p><p>He couldn't help but let out a small laugh at her sudden change of tune. "You were completely enjoying yourself just now. What's the matter, Canaria? Are you scared?" he said while looking down on her with a mischievous smirk on his lips.</p><p>"Please, have mercy!" she begged him as she struggled to break free.</p><p>Levi didn't heed her plead. He let go of her wrist and immediately attacked her sides. She rolled all over the bed while laughing and wheezing each time he found a new weak spot. Canaria turned her back on him, trying to shelter herself from his magical fingers. But her resistance was futile when he broke through her defences.</p><p>He didn't stop tickling her until she collapsed on her stomach, panting intensely. She inhaled deeply as she caught her breath. His hands respectfully stopped on her waist. He watched her small back slowly rise up and down with each breath she took.</p><p>Levi gathered her long-dishevelled locks and combed it to the side with his fingers. He slid his arms around her petite waist and rested his face on the side of her neck. He gave her supple skin a soft kiss as he breathed her sweet comforting scent. The sound of her rapidly beating heart drummed in tune with his.</p><p>The world slowly turned as the two savoured the moment.</p><p>Her hand slowly caressed his. "I won't give up," she reminded him.</p><p>She heard him click the tip of his tongue. "Tch. Just shut up, will you?" he said while tightening his embrace and burying his head deeper on her neck.</p><p>"Levi… I need to learn how to do this no matter what," she told him as she rolled over to face him. Canaria cupped his cheek with her hand, her eyes staring into his. "Please."</p><p>Her red eyes were unwavering as it peered into his cool grey orbs. "You just won't drop it, huh?" he uttered, completely defeated by her tenacity. "Fine. I'll teach you."</p><p>A smile rose up from her lips as her eyes glistened in delight. "R-really?"</p><p>"It's going to be difficult and painful. You can't half-ass this like how you do with cleaning," he warned her.</p><p>As much as she would like to retort back, she pursed her lips and nodded. "I understand."</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>8. To be by his side 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She laid flat on her stomach on the bed with her hands cupping her chin. Her curious eyes loomed over the man who was subconsciously playing with her white locks. "Levi?" she softly called out his name.</p><p>"Hn?" he hummed as his fingers continued to gently comb and twiddle her hair.</p><p>"Do you like it?" she asked out of curiosity. She clarified her question, "My hair, I mean."</p><p>He uttered an affirming sound as he continued to amuse himself with it. His index finger carefully twirled, twisted and looped around the ends of her locks. His glistening eyes were focused on it as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.</p><p>"Doesn't it seem ugly though?" she timidly voiced out while drawing circles on the bedsheet. "It's like an old person's hair."</p><p>He gave her a quick glance before his eyes returned to his cherished amusement. "I like it. It's white and it's clean."</p><p>A smile formed on her lips as her heart swelled upon hearing his words. Just a simple explanation from him lifted her insecurities.</p><p>"You're so easy to read, Levi," she grinned as a thought emerged from her head.</p><p>She let out a small laugh and pointed out, "You just like it because it reminds you of a mop."</p><hr/><p>A woman's hair is her glory.</p><p>But given the circumstance, she had to make this necessary sacrifice.</p><p>She inhaled deeply as she dipped the ends of her white locks in the basin containing the walnut-infused water. Before anything else, she had to conceal her identity in order to freely move around in the Underground. Dyeing her hair was just a part of the process of adapting to her environment.</p><p>A pair of grey eyes carefully watched her as she gradually soaked the rest of her length in the murky water. Its owner leaned on the doorframe of the entrance with a displeased look on his face. His brows furrowed at the sight of her pristine white hair slowly convert into a dark brownish colour.</p><p>He didn't like it. Not one bit. He loved sifting his fingers through her long white hair. He loved how immaculate it looked. Now her hair just looked like everything in this damned place—dark, dreary and dirty.</p><p>She could see his displeasure at the corner of her eyes. She recalled the moment when he told her that he liked the colour of her hair. He was one of the few who appreciated it for what it was. Canaria slightly turned her head around and let out a small apologetic smile.</p><p>"Don't look at me like that. At least, I don't seem like an old hag anymore with this colour," she said, trying to lighten up the mood.</p><p>"Yeah. Now, you look like you're covered in shit," he spat out while crossing his arms.</p><p>Her eyes fell on her dyed locks. She bit the bottom of her lip and she clutched a clump of hair tightly. "I can't help it. I have to do this so I can move forward," she muttered softly as she tried her best to hold back her tears.</p><p>"Tch. You're such a brat," he said as he walked up to her. Levi scooped up some of the murky water with his hand and smothered her hair with it.</p><p>She gasped in panic. "Stop! You're going to get yourself dirty!" she exclaimed.</p><p>"Shut up."</p><p>He didn't like this whole idea, but he didn't like seeing that pained look on her face even more. "Sit on that stool over there. I'll take over."</p><p>She gave him a confused looked. "Why?"</p><p>"Because you're doing a shitty job. You're going to look like a dalmatian if you don't do it properly," he told her while scooping out more water to pour on her hair. "Now get your ass on that thing before I plant you there my damn self."</p><p>Her lips parted but no words came out of it. She followed his instruction and sat on the stool with her back facing him. He soon followed her after he grabbed the basin and placed it on the floor.</p><p>He started working his way from the middle section of her hair up towards her roots. His brows furrowed each time he repeated the method and covered her entire hair in that murky substance.</p><p>With her slumped shoulders, her defeated figure looked even smaller.</p><p>"I'm sorry, Levi," she told him with a strained voice. "I'm sorry."</p><p>It annoyed him to no end. Why was she apologizing to him?</p><p>"I'm sorry."</p><p>"Be quiet," he hushed her.</p><hr/><p>Levi went out the next day to give her some space. He didn't know what to do or what to say to lift her spirits up. She didn't seem like the type who cared much about outer appearances. But deep inside she was just a simple woman who cared about her hair just like any other.</p><p>A sigh escaped his lips as his feet subconsciously took him to the market. His eyes roamed the area, desperately searching for something that he could bring home and maybe cheer her up.</p><p>He didn't really know what to look for. What do even women like? Clothes? Makeup? Jewellery? He had no fucking clue. He never had to deal with insignificant things like this. But still, he continued his search for that illustrious mystery item.</p><p>What could he possibly give her?</p><p>Time eventually passed until it was night time. He still couldn't find anything. He stopped on his tracks with a defeated sigh. His hand ran through his head as he thought about the look on her face. He gritted his teeth in annoyance. "Why is this so damn hard?" he exclaimed in frustration.</p><p>"You seem to be quite in a pickle, young man," an old woman chuckled at his irked expression. "What's the matter? Had a fight with your girlfriend?"</p><p>"Girlfriend?" he muttered to himself while raising an eyebrow at the subject. Was that what she was to him? He never really thought about that. They both never bothered with petty things like labels and stuff. What mattered to them was that they both felt the same for each other. It was as simple as that.</p><p>But then again, he could be wrong. He recalled the sad pitiful look on her face after he was done with her hair. All that happened was she dyed her hair into a different colour. It was something simple yet, it turned into something complicated.</p><p>The old woman gave a small laugh at the conflicted expression he was having. She didn't press further and just continued with her work.</p><p>His eyes fell on what she was making. He watched her wrinkled frail hands skillfully bend a piece of metal into something interesting. "What are you making, granny?" he asked with utter curiosity in his eyes.</p><p>"A hairclip," she replied without breaking her concentration.</p><p>Levi's eyes continued to scan the rest of the ornaments that were placed on the table. He guessed that the ones neatly arranged were the finished products. The complete ornaments came in a variety of sizes, shapes and colours.</p><p>He didn't understand the point of it all. Why do women have such high interest in something so trivial? "I don't get it," he blurted out.</p><p>"Don't get what?" the old woman asked.</p><p>"The point of this. The point of women's obsession over what they look like," he told her.</p><p>The working grandma smiled at his ignorance and curiosity. She placed down her tools and carefully looked at the ornaments she was selling. "These hairclips… women wear these for different reasons. Some wear it to help themselves feel confident. Some wear it to look pretty for the person they like. You see, women are naturally vain creatures that are driven by emotions. No matter what their reason is, its root always stems from a very strong feeling. It's easy to understand why they are what they are once you know the root of their obsession."</p><p>"The root of their obsession, huh?" he repeated the words that resonated with him.</p><p>His eyes stopped on an odd white ornament with bell-shaped flowers on it. He recalled their conversation that one night.</p><hr/><p>"Do you like it?" she asked out of curiosity. She clarified her question, "My hair, I mean."</p><p>He uttered an affirming sound as he continued to amuse himself with it. His index finger carefully twirled, twisted and looped around the ends of her locks. His glistening eyes were focused on it as if it was the most interesting thing in the world.</p><p>"Doesn't it seem ugly though?" she timidly voiced out while drawing circles on the bedsheet. "It's like an old person's hair."</p><p>He gave her a quick glance before his eyes returned to his cherished amusement. "I like it. It's white and it's clean."</p><hr/><p>He finally figured out why she kept apologizing last night. "Tch. That stupid woman," he muttered under his breath.</p><p>The old woman laughed as her eyes landed on the ornament he was holding. "Ah, the Lily of the Valley."</p><p>"Is that what this flower is called?" Levi asked while examining the oddly shaped flower on the ornament.</p><p>The grandma nodded with a smile on her face. "The Lily of the Valley. It means <em>return to happiness</em>."</p><p>His eyebrows furrowed at the small ornament. These things have meanings too? Women really like to make simple things seem complicated. He probably would never have figured it out with the granny's help. But no matter what the case may be, the ends of his lips slowly form a curve upwards as he finally found what he was looking for.</p><p>"Oi, granny. How much for this?" he asked.</p><p>The old woman shook her head. "Keep it."</p><p>His eyelids narrowed down as he looked at the grandma with a confused look. "Why are you giving it for free? Don't you need to make an earning to live?"</p><p>She chuckled as she grabbed her tools and continued her work. "Think of it as a token of appreciation for humouring and accompanying this old woman," she told him.</p><p>He stared at the old woman before carefully putting the hair ornament in his pocket. "Thanks, granny."</p><p>She smiled. "Now run along to your girlfriend."</p><p>He nodded as he ran back home.</p><p>The old woman looked at his retreating form with a satisfied look on her face. "It must be nice to be young again."</p><hr/><p>When he got home, she wasn't there to welcome him back. He felt a little bit disappointed but this was to be expected. She wouldn't feel like her usual self after what happened.</p><p>His eyes looked around the floor. The table was already prepared and set up for dinner. But she wasn't around; not in the living room, not in the kitchen, and not in the bathroom. He figured she was up in the bedroom.</p><p>He climbed the stairs and opened the bedroom door. He saw her small figure sit in front of the vanity mirror as she meekly combed her dark brown hair. She didn't react to the sound of him opening the door, she must be lost in thought.</p><p>Levi walked up to her. He took out the white hair ornament on his pocket and slipped it on her hair.</p><p>His action broke her trance as she reflexively touched what he just placed on her head.</p><p>"Don't take it off," he told her.</p><p>Her red eyes carefully looked at the object of interest through the mirror. It was a white hairclip with an odd flower embedded on it. She turned her head at Levi who was avoiding her gaze. "Why…?"</p><p>"One day, we won't have to hide like this anymore. There will come a time when we don't have to live in this shitty place. Someday, we'll live a better life above without having to worry about anyone or anything," he said as he combed his fingers through her hair.</p><p>"One day, you'll wear that white hair of yours proudly again," he told her as he drew strands of her hair towards his lips. His bluish-grey eyes looked into her red orbs as he continued his words, "Until then, don't take that thing off."</p><p>A tear fell out of her right eye. She clenched her hand into a fist as she looked away from him. "I'm sorry, Levi," she apologized to him again.</p><p>He gritted his teeth. There she was at it again. He let go of her hair and pulled her into a tight embrace instead. "Canaria, I don't give a shit what your hair colour is anymore. You're still you. That's all that matters. So, stop being a brat and take that frown off your face. It's irritating me."</p><p>She finally smiled after hearing what he said.</p><p>A woman's hair is her glory.</p><p>But that's not really important as outer appearances are not what completely defines a person.</p>
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